Argument or Not? -- Arguments Sample of Student Responses -- Young

From http://faculty.uncfsu.edu/jyoung/toppage2.htm Provided below are some examples of students' answers on an exercise on analyzing arguments.  In this exercise students were asked to indicate if each passage is an argument or not and, if so, to identify the conclusion, premise(s), and issue.  Students were required to explain their answers.   The instructor's comments are provided for each item.  Each sentence is numbered for the purpose of identifying the conclusion and premise.  After you have reviewed these student answers and the instructor's comments, complete the Exercise on Arguments.  You will find a link to the exercise at the bottom of this page. 1. 1)We must resist all effort to allow the government to censor entertainment.  2)Freedom of speech and expressions are essential to a democratic form of government.  3)As soon as we allow some censorship, it won't be long before censorship will be used to silence the opinions critical of the government.  4) The next thing we know, we will have no more freedom than the Germans did under Hitler. Karl'a answer: Argument? No, this is not an argument, it is just this person's opinion. Instructor comment: You have made a very common error, namely, of thinking that an opinion cannot be a claim or the conclusion of an argument. Be careful about dismissing a statement as "just an opinion."  Remember the distinction between mere opinion and reasoned judgment.  An opinion can be true or false; we can determine its truth or falsity only on the basis of the reasons, or premises, given for accepting or rejecting it.. Correct answers: Argument: Yes, the writer is trying to convince me that we must not allow the government to censor entertainment. Conclusion: 1 Premises: 2,3,4 Issue: Whether to resist all efforts to allow governmental censoring. 2. 1) To install the program, you must first put the CD in the player. 2) Open up the File Manager, click on "Run" and type in "D: Install." 3) After the program is loaded, you will need to restart the computer to use the program. Karla's answer: Argument: Yes. Conclusion: The writer is trying to convince me of how I should install a computer program. Premise: 2,3 Issue: Whether this is the right way to load a program. Instructor comment: This is not an argument. Instructions, directions, reports are not intended to convince you of anything, but to inform you. 3. Roger Maris' record of 61 homeruns in a single season stood from 1961 until 1998. He should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Karla's answer: This is not an argument because I agree with it. Instructor's comment: You are apparently confusing the everyday meaning of "argument" with the meaning we have offered in our class.  You do NOT have to have a dispute or quarrel to have an argument; an argument is a set of propositions with a conclusion and at least one premise, which is intended to convince a reader or listener. Whether you disagree with the conclusion or one or more of the premises does not make the set of propositions an argument or not. Look for the conclusion and premises. In this case, 2 is the conclusion and 1 is a premise. 4. 1) All of this talk about banning guns makes me sick! 2) Isn't it obvioius that if we ban guns, law-abiding citizens will not own them, while only the criminals will have them? Karla's answers: Argument? Yes Conclusion: 1 Premises: 2 Issue: Whether we should ban gun. Instructor's comments: What you have said is probably what the writer intended, but as stated, the writer has not offered us an argument. He or she has expressed emotions about banning guns, and has suggested a reason in the form of a question. As stated this set of sentences is not an argument. 5. 1) Two teenagers saw the movie, "Natural Born Killers," and went out on a killing spree. 2) A number of teenagers who have committed violence at schools have spent many hour playing video games filled with murder and violence. 3) We must have some stricter controls on the content of entertainment that is viewed by teenagers. Karla's answers: Argument? Yes Conclusion: 3 Premises: 1, 2 Issue: Whether we must have stricter controls on the content of entertainment that is viewed by teenagers. Instructor comment: Correct. 6 1)Research has shown that people who do at least 30 minutes a day of vigorous exercise reduce their risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. 2) It would be wise for you to begin a daily program of exercise. Karla's answer: Argument: Yes. Conclusion: 2. Premises : 1 Issue: Whether you should begin a daily program of exercise Instructor's comments: Correct